


adorn

by life_unsolved



Series: the embraced. [3]
Category: L.A. By Night, LA by Night, Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Masquerade- L.A. By Night (Web Series)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 09:17:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18588286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/life_unsolved/pseuds/life_unsolved
Summary: He reached into his pants pocket, his fingers wrapping around the little velvet box that had kept him company today. He walked back out into his bedroom and stopped short. He opened his mouth, but for once he had no words.She was without a doubt the most beautiful rose in the garden and she was in full bloom.The one where Victor and Nelli go to their first award show together.





	adorn

**Author's Note:**

> I should be working on something else, but I heard the song Adorn by Miguel and I was inspired. Plus I really wanted more Victor/Nelli. Please feel free to leave suggestions or tips in the comments, writing is not my thing and this is only my third fic. This is set before they meet Jasper or Annabelle. They were the original members of the coterie, after all.

“Nelli! Come on, we’re going to be late!” 

Victor sighed and checked his watch again. It was a silver Rolex he’d bought himself after he’d signed his contract with the NBA. It was in pristine condition after all these years and he double checked to make sure the time was accurate. He sank deeper into the cream colored chair outside of his en suite, then he began to pick lint from his suit jacket absent-mindedly. He tapped his foot impatiently and check his watch again.

“Nelli!” He snapped again, standing up. He walked up to the door and pressed his ear against it. He could hear movement inside, the soft rustling of fabric.

“What? I’m almost ready, Jesus!” She yelled back from the other side, nearly deafening him.

He rolled his eyes and adjusted the sleeve cuffs of his shirt. Nelli had gotten here not long after sunset. She'd whirled in faster than the eye could see and she'd been holed up in his bathroom for the past hour and a half. He hadn’t even actually seen her since she’d gotten there. She had let herself in and yelled a quick greeting as she'd rushed past him. She once told him that the power of the Toreador was the power to get ready quickly and if this was her version of quickly, he was thanking Caine for Celerity. He looked in the mirror over his vanity to make sure that he had himself sorted out. Black suit, white shirt, no tie, and a maroon pocket square that she’d tossed at him as she zipped by. He made sure his shirt was tucked in properly and straighten his cufflinks. They were vintage, a gift from the thorn in his side that was currently yelling at him about the time it took to do her hair. Dark rubies set in dense silver that sparkled sharply under his bedroom light. The door opened. 

“Okay, I’m done. I just need you to zip me up,” she called. He could see the expanse of her back nestled in what would probably be skin tight black fabric.

He sighed in relief and made his way to the door. She had her back to him and her head was turned oddly as she gathered her hair in her hands. He gently zipped her up, the zipper stopping short around mid-back, almost invisible between her shoulder blades. 

“There you are,” he murmured, stepping back to take a better look at her. Before his eyes could settle on her, there was something weird about the fabric of her dress that he couldn’t quite focus on, she was a blur again. 

“Nelli! Enough with the Roadrunner act, okay?” The annoyance had well and truly settled into his voice.

“I had to get my shoes! You want to leave on time, don’t you?” He could hear her rustling around in his bedroom. He took in the mess that had become his bathroom sink. There was makeup, bobby pins, and what looked to be a flat iron that was cooling off. He shuddered as he unplugged it, just for good measure. He couldn’t understand how she could bear being so close to the heat, but when he’d asked her, she’d merely said, “Beauty is pain,” in that weirdly distant way she did sometimes. 

He reached into his pants pocket, his fingers wrapping around the little velvet box that had kept him company today. He walked back out into his bedroom and stopped short. He opened his mouth, but for once he had no words. She was smirking smugly at him, “Well I was going to ask you what you thought, but I guess I don’t have to.”

She was stunning. A vision. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful rose in the garden and she was in full bloom. _He had to remember to send a gift to Abrams._ He went to take a step closer and froze in mid-step, tilting his head. He walked up to her and pinched a lock of her hair between his fingers. It was curled, which would have been enough of a shock on any other day, and swept to the side. Part of it was braided along her head, giving her a sort-of cascading look. It was gorgeous, but more importantly, it was _blue_. 

Not all of it. The roots maintained that dark brunette color, but the ends of it were a royal blue. She gently pushed his hand away, tucking the curl back into place. Her smile faltered for a split second. “Don’t act like you’ve never seen someone dye their hair before,” she snipped at him, snapping him from his trance.

“No, I just- I love it. It’s amazing,” he reassured quickly. She could be sensitive at times, for reasons that were beyond him. It was best to deal with her fast. He took her hand and stepped back, spinning her around once slowly so that he could fully enjoy her. 

She wore a black, off the shoulder dress that was cut far lower than what should be allowed in public. It was so tight that it was a miracle that she had been able to get into in the first place. If she had spent an hour alone trying to pour herself into this dress, he would have understood. A cluster of red gemstones draped themselves around her neck as if they were always meant to be there. He could see the one of the matching earrings peeking out from underneath the curled sea of blue. Her eyes were framed by thick eyeliner, and a smoky-red eyeshadow that seemed to match her jewelry. He let his eyes trail over her, taking in the train of the mermaid (as he had come to learn it was called) gown. The fabric shimmered for a minute and he stopped her. He pulled her close, twisting her one way and another until the shimmer showed itself to him. Roses. The entirety of the soft black fabric was covered in a rose pattern that was nearly impossible to see. He briefly wondered how she had managed to get it pressed into the fabric, before he spoke again. “You look-” A thousand adjectives ran through his head. 

She arched an eyebrow at him as he stammered. “I look?” She repeated, amused. His brain returned to him. “You are perfection,” he said easily, pressing his lips to her hand. She preened slightly under his praise. He reached in his pocket again, pulling out the little black box.

“I have a gift for you, since it’s our first time being out at something as big as this,” he said, running his finger over the back of it. She rolled her eyes a little and eyed the box warily.

“Oh, now you have something? We’ve been to plenty of events,” she said as she held out her hand expectantly. He open the little box and set it in her palm. He heard a soft gasp of surprise and tried to keep himself from smirking. It had cost him a pretty penny, but it was so Nelli that he had to have it. He took it from her hand, pulling the ring out and tossing the empty box onto the bed. It was a giant ruby set into a beautiful white gold band that could barely be seen by the cluster of diamonds that surrounded it. Abrams had suggested the brand, saying that he had personally worked with the family that ran the company. Ib had flown all the way to Milan to get it, but the look on her face was worth it. He had like, ten SUV’s. This was definitely worth more than any of them. 

“Victor,” she whispered, hesitating. He ignored her, sliding it onto the ring finger of her right hand. It looked as at home on her hand as the necklace did and he wanted to pat himself on the back. She looked at him for a long moment, face devoid of any emotion. He grinned at her, “I think the words you’re looking for are thank you.”

Her face scrunched up a little in the way that he’d come to appreciate over the past few years of working together. “Thank you,” she said graciously. His smile widened. “You’re welcome. It looks good on you.”

She smiled back at him, one of those rare honest smiles that were entirely too few and far between for his taste. Then her eyes narrowed on a point on his jacket, and Nelli was back. She huffed at him, motioning for him to lean down.

“Did you try at all?” She demanded as she reached up on tiptoes, even in what looked like 6-inch ruby red heels, to adjust his collar. He got lower, letting her pick at him as she saw fit. She designed the suit and tailored it to fit him. She knew how it was supposed to look. 

“Uh, yeah I tried. I adjusted this thing one hundred times while you took an hour in the bathroom putting your face on,” he grumbled at her. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t want to hear it, my face left you speechless,” she muttered.

She pulled back, fixing his jacket as he straightened up. He turned to look in the mirror at the two of them. He could see her studying her own reflection next to him. They looked glamorous and utterly powerful. They could have been a mob couple or a pair of movie stars. It should have been impossible for anyone to look this good.

“I have to admit, you do good work,” he said as he checked them over from all angles. She tapped him lightly with the back of her hand. “Of course I do. Now let’s go, we’re going to be late if you keep this up.” 

He watched her fight the smirk at the edges of her lips as he scowled at her. He grabbed her coat from the bed and helped her into it. He sent a quick text to Ib to bring the car around before silencing his phone and slipping it into his pocket.

He switched the light off behind them as they made their way out into the hall. They walked down the stairs into the foyer and headed out of the front door. She waited patiently on his front stoop as he set the alarm, locking up behind them. Ib had the car pulled around front. It was an upgraded version of one of his SUV’s, the one reserved for special occasions. He had wanted to get a limo, but it hadn't seemed practical to have one muscled up to use as infrequently as he did. He offered Nelli his hand and helped her down the stairs before opening the car door for her. She settled in behind Ib. He got in on the other side, thanking Ib as he entered. There was side seating, similar to a limo and a mini fridge that held a few blood packs for the night. They needed to be as human as possible and completely in control. There was a reason he didn’t go to these things often.

Ib nodded at him as she pulled off smoothly. She reached towards the visor, pressing the code into the little device that would open the gates that secured his house. He leaned back, enjoying one of his artists playing quietly in the background. The track wouldn’t be released for another few months, but he had a feeling it was going to be a hit.

Nelli seemed to hunch over a bit, looking at her hands and twirling her ring repeatedly. He studied her for a moment. “Don’t be nervous,” he said. Her eyes flew to his and he could see the worry there before she slammed the mask back down.

She lifted her chin slightly and put an arrogant look on her face, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She gave him a look that dared him to challenge her. He had only known her for a few years, but he learned early on that she was not someone to mess with when she was all worked up. She had come from San Francisco with a big attitude and the chip on her shoulder was at least twice the size of that. She didn’t talk about it too much, at least not to him, but he could still see those little Camarilla habits in her after all these years.

He raised his hands in defeat and sighed, “I’m just saying. You look amazing. We’re just going to promote the line and have a good time.” He tried to make his voice as soothing as possible. She studied him for a moment before looking away. He let her have her silence, responding to emails as Ib drove on.

Eventually, they started getting closer to the theater. The windows were tinted, but there was no need to take chances. He nudged her with his foot, nodding at the mini fridge as she glared at him, checking over her dress for any scuffs. “We need to have the Blush up before we get there,” he explained. She reached in the fridge, handing him a blood pack before taking one for herself. 

“Hey, Ib. Will you warn us if there’s any bumps or anything? I don’t want it to get messy back here,” he called to her. Their eyes met in the mirror for a second before she nodded, “Of course, Mr. Temple.”

“Thank you,” he replied before Nelli caught his attention again. She tugged on his pants leg and he turned to her, “Hm?” She pulled what looked like a stainless steel straw out of her purse. One end was normal and the other was cut on an angle, giving it a wicked edge. He had seen her use them before, but he’d never actually used one. She handed one to him and pulled out a second for herself.

“We can’t chance you getting dirty,” she explained as she held the bag out in the open before stabbing it with the sharpened steel point. It was like a fucked up Capri Sun, and the thought made him miss his sons. They would love this. He had always wanted to take them to things like this when they got older, but now they were getting older without him and he wasn’t getting older at all.

He held his blood bag away from him, being careful to pierce high. He activated the Blush of Life, and felt his Beast snarl inside of him. He drank quickly in an attempt to soothe it and soon he was discarding the little plastic bag back into the fridge. Nelli seemed to struggle just as much as he had, the roses that bloomed in her cheeks came with a steep price. He reached for her, tucking a curled lock behind her ear before taking a moment to marvel at the warmth in her hands. He raised an eyebrow, grinning at her. “We look good.” 

She smiled a little back, “We do.” They sat in silence as Ib rounded the last few blocks and brought them into the chaos that was the iHeartMusic Awards. The entrance to the Microsoft Theater was littered with reporters. The red carpet was laid out and they could see a few remaining celebrities walking the carpet. They had come on the later end of the arrival time, hoping for more genuine attention from reporters by not having to fight for the spotlight with the most elite of the elites. Victor noticed some fellow producers and a couple of big-wigs from rival companies. No one really paid attention to their type, that was part of the reason he felt comfortable coming late. He was a producer, but he used to be a basketball star. That usually got him what he needed from the press. That, and the fact that this was the first year this award show had ever existed made him hope they would be able to get Nelli what she wanted. Two attendants stepped up to either side of the car as Ib pulled up and he gave her some quick instructions on where to park and when to get them. He gave Nelli what he hoped was a reassuring smile, before his door was opened and he was stepping out into the night.

The flash would have blinded him if he hadn’t experienced this a hundred times before. He walked around the back of the car, and nodded at the attendant as he reached a hand in and helped Nelli out. She had Awe up before she had fully cleared the car and the populous seemed to gasp collectively. He chuckled under his breath as he tucked her hand into his arm and began escorting her to the red carpet. The reporters were buzzing around them.

“Victor! Victor, who’s your friend?” “Are we seeing a new romance?” “Victor, over here!”

The voices began to run together as the reached the edge of the carpet. He felt the hand around his arm tighten and scanned Nelli quickly to see if she was okay. Her face was angelic. He wanted to roll his eyes at himself, she looked like she was exactly in her element. He smiled for a photo before he leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Remember who we picked out. Three interviews, then we go inside.”

She leveled him with a quick look, before smiling for a different photographer. She nodded slightly as the moved on, looking for the three magazines they had decided would do the best work of helping to promote her line. He guided her towards the first magazine they’d picked out. The reporter was a smiling blond woman that seemed eager to make their acquaintance. 

“Victor! Long time, no see!” She said as they approached. She turned to the camera to give the little spiel about his sport’s roots and sudden rise to fame in the music industry. He used the time to straighten his jacket again and pulled Nelli closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist. She smiled up at him, smoldering for the camera and he felt his heart skip a beat. _Fucking Toreadors,_ he thought as he tried to keep a clear head.

The reporter turned back to him, “It’s so nice to see you here, Victor! I know you’re not nominated, but rumor has it you’re working on something big.” 

He gave her his most charming smile, “Always am. I’m more interested in seeing how this turns out, iHeartMusic is a big company. Streaming music is becoming wildly more popular, and I think this is a step in the right direction for the industry.” 

The reporter nodded at him, her smile unflinching. “That’s what I hear. Although, I’m curious Victor, what does your friend think?” She asked, as if she was particularly clever. Nelli smiled into the camera and Victor felt sorry for the camera person, he could almost see her swoon.

The reporter took a step closer to Nelli, “I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting before, what’s your name?” Nelli batted her eyes and he could see people starting to stare. Thorn was going to be a hit before the name was even announced at this rate.

“I’m Nelli G. I’m Victor’s partner in crime,” she joked, teeth sparkling. Victor nodded, “I’m surprised you don’t recognize her. She’s the hottest up and coming designer in Los Angeles.” The report focused her attention on Nelli and Victor let his mind wander as they talked fabric, fashion, and spring color palettes. 

He eased his way through the next two interviews, only commenting on Nelli’s fashion line and singing her praise. She was on top of her game and even if he wasn’t surprised he was impressed. She could get a little anxious at things like this. Sometimes, it seemed like she was waiting for him to yell at her. She relaxed the longer they went on and it warmed him to see her seem so sincerely confident. He let her lead him towards the backdrop, where the majority of the pictures would be taken right before they were to head inside. He smiled confidently before walking out, cameras flashing immediately. “Don't forget to smile,” he whispered in her ear as they got into position. 

She finally broke and rolled her eyes at him, smile never dropping. He only raised an eyebrow, before wrapping an arm around her waist and smirking for the camera. She was never this warm against him and he found himself distracted by the heat. She turned into him, staring over her shoulder with her hand pressed to his chest.

The photographers seemed to eat it up and they enjoyed to the attention for a few moments before they were led inside to enjoy the show. 

They were seated in the back with another producer and his wife. The pristine table clothes had thick cardstock place cards with their names inked on them in elegant cursive. The tables were big and round, seating eight. He had been here before a few times and stopped to greet people as they made their way back. When they reached their table, Victor recognized their evening companions. They’d been to a few of these shows together before. That had been in the early days of Victor’s music career and he hadn’t seen the man in quite some time. The producer was an older man. He worked for a small record company that was (barely) known for its’ Christian Rock. He wasn’t up to Victor’s level, but that just meant that Victor was the most important person at the table. Exactly how he liked it. The others seated with them seemed to be just as uninteresting. 

Nelli talked to everyone, complimenting dresses and flirting unabashedly with whatever unfortunate creature that fell into her web. Victor told jokes between segments, complaining about the lack of food with the rest of the mortals and the traffic that was sure to come. During the breaks, he and Nelli found themselves cozying up with some of the execs from bigger labels in other genres. The awards seemed to be mainly pop based, which meant that Victor was a little out of his element. He used the time to make as many connections as he could, talking about features, movie scores, and producing in other genres all while introducing Nelli. 

Thorn was the buzz of the evening, with people seeming to be eagerly anticipating the collections’ launch. He watched Nelli grow into her role as a socialite, entertainer, seductress... He could see how she would be an effective Harpy for the Camarilla. He was surprised they would let her go, even if she had Abrams on her side. The evening seemed to be going well, before Blush of Life wore off. He felt it fade at the halfway point and he could tell that Nelli felt it, too. 

“Are you okay? You seem pale,” his companion’s wife had whispered to him three quarters of the way through the show. He had grinned back easily, “Oh, I’m fine. It’s a blood sugar thing.”

He could feel Nelli’s eyes boring into his back. He turned to look at her and she was covering her mouth with her hands to hide the smile he could see in her eyes. The woman had nodded back at him, whispering about a sister who was diabetic. He reached for Nelli’s hand under the table and found that it was back to its’ normal temperature: ice cold. She gave him an inquiring look and he nodded back at her. She dropped Awe for the first time that evening and they waited for the room to forget about her, as futile as that was. Eventually, most eyes found their way to the stage and stopped looking back.

He helped her into her coat during the next break, whispering excuses about a sudden illness. He wasn’t concerned about being caught. Nelli had gotten them into the after party and he was sure none of these people would be there. If anyone important saw them leave, he could always offer up the excuse that he needed some "alone time" with his partner. He had done it before and after she finished her hissy fit, Nelli had thought it was a good idea. He offered her his arm and after a quick text, they made a quiet escape from a side entrance. Ib was waiting for them, doors opened. He heard Nelli whisper her thanks as he closed the door behind her before going around to the other side. 

“How much time do we have until the after party?” He asked as he shrugged off his jacket. She frowned at him, “About an hour. It’s only thirty minutes away.” 

She pulled the jacket from underneath him, “You’re going to wrinkle that.” He rolled his eyes as she hung it up.

“Ib, why don’t you take us in that like, general area? But just drive around a little, you know?” He called as he pushed his sleeves up and leaned back into the seat.

“Yes, sir.” She replied easily. Nelli kicked her shoes off and stretched out for a second. He watched her interestedly. He had seen her naked, but she rarely let herself get comfortable like this when they were out. “You okay?” He asked.

She nodded lazily, “Yeah. I think that went really well.” He hummed in agreement. Silence seemed to overtake them once more and he found himself content to simply watch her. She checked her phone boredly, before twisting her ring and adjusting her necklace. For someone who portrayed herself as the picture of confidence she fidgeted a lot, he noted. The quiet thickened and settled, they spent the next half hour contentedly scrolling through their own feeds, only speaking when Victor tried to help her post some pictures on her Instagram, which quickly turned into them bickering over why she didn’t seem to know how to use basic technology.

“Come on,” he joked, “You weren’t with the Camarilla for that long.” Her face had frozen slightly and he knew it was a mistake as he watched the amused annoyance leave her eyes. The air frosted between them and there it was again. Sometimes she was totally okay with talking about her past and sometimes it seemed like even hinting at it would lead to getting the cold shoulder and a stay in Grouch City. He watched the time tick away and thanked her quietly when she eventually handed him another blood bag. Not even the Blush of Life could warm up the cold that settled between them, and when they pulled up to the after party it was a relief.

It was being held in the ballroom of some swanky old hotel that he hadn’t caught the name of. Another set of attendants opened his door and he put his most award winning smile on. Nelli took the arm he offered, but left some room in between them and he wanted to sigh. If she would just tell him what he was doing wrong, then he would fix it. It was like she didn’t want anyone to know her and he thought it was a fucking shame because she was a privilege to know. Or at least he thought so. 

They walked into the main hall of the hotel and Victor wondered for a moment if he was in the right business. It was lush in every definition of the word. The floors looked like they were made of marble and so did the double staircases. There was an outside bar next to a pool to his right that would have called his name in a past life. To the left was a ballroom filled with tables and what looked to be a line of food prepared for a king. He was half-tempted to eat something, but the prospect of throwing up after what had been a good night, until an hour ago, pushed the thought away. 

Nelli seemed to be enraptured by the giant crystal chandelier and he actually had to nudge her to get her attention when they were greeted by a staff member. _The curse of the Toreador, well at work_. She looked up at him confused, then a little embarrassed which she tried to play off. She handed him their invitation and they were welcome into the ballroom. The ceilings were impossibly high, so high that a Soaring Leap might not even let him reach them. The ceiling seemed to be supported by white pillars that popped up at random throughout the room. The floor here was a beautiful ashened wood, that went well with the cream colored chairs and long tablecloths. Each table was set artfully with a bouquet of some kind of oval, white flowers. 

More chandeliers came down from giant, white light fixtures and the whole room seemed to scream elegance. He was in his kind of place. Nelli seemed to agree, and as they made their way to a table near the center, they were stopped almost constantly as people came to greet them. People began to ask about the line again, giving Nelli an opportunity to show off her dress. He indulged himself for a moment, taking her hand and spinning her for his own enjoyment under the pretense of showing her off. She seemed wise to his tricks, but the spotlight was on her so she just gave him a knowing look and a warning smile.

It was clear that he was _not_ forgiven for what happened in the car, although he still wasn’t sure what he needed forgiveness for. She could be very temperamental. Sometimes, the things that made her laugh one day pissed her off the next. Sometimes, she would get that distant look in her eyes that made him regret ever learning how to speak in the first place.

He took her jacket and left her to continue the social climb for the both of them, knowing that even if she was mad she would talk him up. He set her jacket onto a seat, stopping a waiter to order two glasses of wine. The man nodded and he waited there until he came back with two half-filled glasses. He set one glass in front of his seat and one in front of Nelli’s, an old trick to keep their seats reserved. On quite a few occasions he’d had to remove someone from his seat as they tried to chat her up. He turned his head back to her, before catching sight of the manager of a talent he’d been trying to get for a collaboration with one of his own artists. He caught her eye, tilted his head toward the man. She looked over her shoulder, not breaking conversation, and gave him a quick nod.

He left her standing in the ballroom as he went to try to make a deal. “Hey, Matt! How‘d you like the show?” He led the man out of the ballroom before he got a chance to find his seat, leading him to the base of one of the staircases. 

A few other men joined them as they began to discuss the changes in the business over the past years. Victor found himself being introduced to a country star, then a publicist for a talent that he knew to be particularly difficult. A few managers stopped to chat with him as the evening wore on. He hoped that if he stayed away from Nelli long enough, she would forgive him. Or at least forget.

Agents and managers alike came to gossip, trying to sniff out deals for their respective clients. Victor was particularly talented at managing. He had an ear for music, of course, but there was something about getting people where they needed to be that he excelled in. One particular talent scout seemed to be eager to get his attention. As he talked to the agent, he slowly began sizing him up, wondering what he was up to. The man was well dressed, not as well as Victor himself, but what could be expected from someone without a Nelli in their life. 

He seemed okay enough. Victor asked him about his life, listening to him talk about his wife and children. He tried not to be jealous. He failed miserably. He did another quick once over. _Jackpot_. Usually, a happy family man would wear his wedding band. He didn’t like cheaters at the best of times and this particular man seemed far too eager to discuss his opinion of Victor’s club. Victor had the sneaking suspicion that if he said anything too off brand, he would find it in _People_ magazine next week. Victor began to work his magic, going on about the joys of being single.

“Well, wait a second. I thought you were here with her? Although, looking at her now, I guess I see what you mean,” the man replied distracted.

Victor tilted his head a little. Nelli had never gotten that reaction before. “What do you mean?” He turned around to look at the ballroom. Nelli seemed to be almost pressed against a wall as a man tried to talk to her, caging her in with his arm on one side. Her smile had hardened into a clear threat that the poor fucker had been too stupid to read. He swore he saw a fang poke out from a pair a ruby lips. 

“Will you excuse me for a moment, I think that man is a little too invested in my date,” he said, moving before the sentence was complete. He could hear the surprised agreement from behind him as he made his way over to her. The man used his other hand to play with her hair, before tucking it back. It wasn’t dissimilar to what Victor had done earlier today and it made his blood boil.

“Hi,” he said in a falsely cheerful voice, “I need to borrow my date for a minute, will you excuse us?” He was pulling Nelli away from the man before he could respond, guiding her out of the ballroom and towards the poolside bar across the lobby. He nodded his thanks at the confused talent agent, who just sort of waved back.

“Victor,” she sighed, “I wasn’t going to do anything. I had it.” She was frowning at him. It seemed that the time apart had been enough for her to cool off. He had forgotten that she was his concern in the first place. He could still see the man playing with her hair and the rage that had sent him to go get her seemed to abandon him now.

“I know you did. You just shouldn’t have to always deal with that. Plus, you’re here with me. What kind of date would I be if I let other guys hit on you?” He joked in what he hoped was a believable tone. Her eyes narrowed and he kept his smile up, praying that she would just drop it. She didn’t do the emotional thing very much and he had been told that his face was an open book.

She took him in for a long moment, “Oh, now you care?” He could hear the humor in her voice. They’d been to plenty of parties where he’d had to drag her out of someone’s lap so that they could keep up appearances when they left. It was a clan thing. She could control it as much as he could control himself when it came to networking.

“I always care,” he replied. She seemed to purse her lips for a moment. “It’s nice out here,” she said, changing the subject, and he was grateful. They stood together, taking in the beauty of the pool. It was long and rectangular, with vibrant blue lights coloring the clear water. There was a decorative wall of rock on the other side. There were window like-cuts in the rock, angled in such a way that light would be able to reflect off the pool during the day. He made a mental note to look it up. He was sure it would be beautiful.

They walked over to a bench near the side and sat together, taking in the brief respite from having to play at being human. He held her hand between two of his, playing with her fingers. Her nails were blood red, long and thin. He gently tapped one and she pulled her hand away, scrunching her nose but not unhappy.

Nelli seemed to enjoy the moment of peace, too. She began whispering about the rock structure to him, talking about how the shape could catch the light. He watched her, nodded when appropriate. He had no idea what the hell she was talking about, but he tried to follow along as she pointed out sculptures and modern art pieces to him.

The evening hadn’t dampened her look at all. Her eyeliner hadn’t budge and he could still see the subtle glow on her cheekbones, enhanced by the Blush. Her lips were perfection and he was content to watch her mouth form words for a few moments, eyes flitting away before she could catch him. She quieted momentarily and they listened to the quiet voices of the people around them.

Inside, the music began to change. What had been a series of upbeat pop songs seemed to slow down for the moment. He stood suddenly, startling her. “Dance with me?” He offered her his hand. She looked confused as she took it and rose, wrapping her hand around his arm.

“You want to dance?” They didn’t dance together often and it was always to something faster. Nelli liked to vogue and this wasn’t voguing music. She had tried to teach him once, while they were up in his office, and she had ended up laughing on his couch after he knocked his pencil holder off of his desk.

He made his way back towards the ballroom, “Yeah. My music isn’t like this. This is probably the only chance we’ll have for a little while, at least.” The song seemed to be finishing up, but they made their way onto the dance floor anyway. The next song was a ballad, exactly right for what he wanted, and Victor was tempted to tell Ib to tip the man when they left.

She set her hand on his shoulder and let him begin to lead them around the floor. He had taken lessons before, but he wasn’t up to Nelli’s level so he didn’t try to do anything complex. The last thing he wanted to do was disappoint her. He led them through a waltz until the song ended.

The next song started up, and her hand slipped down to rest on his chest as she began to cuddle into him, impossibly content. They began to sway as the music seemed to relax the atmosphere around them. He rested his chin on her head.

“My hair,” she warned, pulling back a little. He laughed a little, “Don’t worry, darling. I know.” She leaned back into him. The warmth would leave her soon, but for now it was perfect. _We should do this more_ , and he didn’t know if he meant the dancing or the closeness. He didn’t get a lot of time to just take her in, they were always doing something. They didn’t just hang out very often. 

He resolved to change that. They could go to the Getty, or maybe the Observatory. Somewhere beautiful. He was overcome with a sudden urge to spend more time with her, that wasn’t very sudden at all. _How long was he going to pretend that he didn’t-_

“I love-“ he started, then paused. She seemed to stiffen in his arms, looking up at him with a sort of concern in her eyes. “I love this. We should go out like this more,” he said with as much lightness as he could muster.

He pretended he didn’t hear her sigh of relief. She melted back into him. “We should. We look good and we make a great team,” she said into him, and he heard what she wasn’t saying.

“The best team,” he agreed. They continued to sway back and forth for a few minutes in silence, neither of them wanting the upset the unspoken agreement they’d made. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he spoke again.

“Will you come home with me?” He whispered into her hair. It was a risk. He wasn't sure if it was something she actually wanted. It had happened twice before. They had never even actually talked about out loud. She pretended it never happened after the first time, so he tried to forget about it. He told himself he forgot about it, until one night she had pressed her lips to his again. He would never forget.

He couldn’t see her face, but he could almost feel her thinking. He wanted to take the words back almost as soon as he said them.

“Well,” she said slowly. “I left my stuff at your place so I have to go back.” It wasn’t a rejection and he accepted it graciously, “Of course.”

The party began winding up around them. He pressed one more kiss into the side of her head while he could, in case he didn’t get the chance later. A sort of slow panic began to build up in him at the realization that he wanted that chance. A chance to press kisses into her hair and hold her close. _I love-_

“Are you ready to go?” He asked. She seemed to press herself tighter to him for a moment and a swarm of butterflies erupted in his chest. She pulled back, “Not really, but yeah.”

They walked back over to their seats, their untouched wine glasses had long since been removed. He held out her coat for her and they made their rounds saying goodbye to the people that had kept them company. Nelli had made many friends, it had seemed. He watched her exchange promises about custom dresses and fabric deals. He said his own goodbyes, and the two left hand in hand. Ib was waiting patiently in the drop-off lane.

The ride home was silent for the most part and somewhere along the way the butterflies had turned in wasps that stung the inside of his stomach. He shouldn’t have asked her to come home, she was going to think- _She was going to think that he only wanted-_

“Victor?” She was looking down, twirling her ring again. He couldn’t understand why, she had nothing to be nervous about. “Mm?” He watched her for a moment before adjusting his watch, trying to give her a moment to settle what was on her mind.

“Is it okay if I hang out for a bit? I’m not ready to go home yet.” She wasn’t looking at him, eyes focused on her ring. The warmth inside him killed all the stinging insects. “Of course,” _Forever,_ he agreed. “As long as you’d like.”

The gates were open as they drove up the winding driveway. He got out and opened Nelli’s door for her, before he went the driver’s window. He passed Ib a roll of cash, telling her to keep half and find the DJ. He got a simple, “Yes, sir.” And then, offering Nelli his arm, they made their way up the front steps and into his house.

He turned off the alarm as she slipped off her shoes. She was up the stairs in a moment, moving faster than his eyes could see and he huffed a little. “No Celerity in the house,” he muttered.

He followed behind her, only stopping to straighten out some of the awards he’d hung on the wall. A black frame that held a page of his contract from when he first got signed was slightly crooked from her passage. She was going to knock one of these down if she wasn’t careful and he was surprised by how comfortable he was at the thought of her running around his house. It wouldn’t be too much of a difference, she already had a key.

He walked into his bedroom, almost forgetting to crack the door behind him. He pulled his jacket off and set it on the chair in his room. He could hear her rustling around in the bathroom. He almost rolled his eyes.

“Nelli,” He called playfully. He undid his cufflinks, setting them on the vanity to be put away later. To his surprise the door opened. “Sorry, just cleaning up.” She had all of her stuff in a black bag that she set into the chair. Sometime between the front door and now, she’d pulled all the bobby pins out of her hair. The braided section hung in loose waves. She picked up his jacket, making a face at him. She walked over to his closet and hung it up, muttering about being underappreciated.

He ignored her, laughing a little under his breath. She came out of the walk in and stood in front of the mirror on the vanity. She gathered her hair, “Would you help me take my necklace off? And grab the box please, it’s in my bag.” 

He unzipped the dark duffel obediently, pulling out the thin velvet box. He stopped to grab the ring box from the bed, in case she wanted that too. He handed her both boxes before reaching up and undoing the clasp deftly. He had years of experience and for a second the familiarity of the motion hit him with a pang of sadness. His sons looked like their mother and sometimes it was like he’d lost all of them. It hurt less as the years went by, but it would always hurt a little.

He turned his attention back to the one person he hadn't lost. _Yet._ She caught her necklace, putting it neatly in its’ box. He stood behind her, waiting. The tension in the room seemed to grow with every passing second. She was in charge here. If this was going to happen, it would be because she wanted it. All of the air left the room.

“Will you unzip me?” She asked as she pulled her ring off. She focused on putting the gems in their box, refusing to meet his gaze.

When he touched her this time, she was warm. As he unzipped her dress, he murmured, “You don’t have to leave. I mean, if you don’t want to.”

An unreadable look crossed her face in the mirror for a moment, then there seemed to be a pool of sadness in her eyes. He didn’t know what he’d said, but the apology was stumbling from his lips before she interrupted him. “Okay.”

She stepped out of her dress, folding it neatly and leaving it next the velvet boxes and the cufflinks. She turned around to face him. A thousand words flew through his mind.

He activated Blush of Life.

**Author's Note:**

> http://us.buccellati.com/en/high-jewelry/cocktail-rings/cocktail-ring-12 This is what I imagined the ring to look like, without the gold parts.


End file.
